Changes
by cleopatra2070
Summary: For Severitus' challenge! 4th year AU. Harry is back to school and things seem to go fine...but what about his odd pains? and Draco seeing the future? and an unknown monster? and Snape being Harry's father?!? *Chapter 5 reuploaded*
1. Prologue

Author's notes: This is for Severitus' challenge. I hope it complies with the rules. *nervous glance in Severitus' direction* But anyway, this happens to be my first Harry Potter fic and that's why I'm especially eager to know what you think! It is a forth year AU, because a. I haven't read the forth volume yet, and b. I'm tired of seeing Severus running off to meet Voldemort.   
Disclaimer: The characters and world of Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling. The idea is Severitus' and whatever remains is, I suppose, mine.  
  
  
  
Changes-Prologue  
  
Under the motto "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus", Hogwarts had survived over eleven centuries, forming thousands of famous witches and wizards, both good and evil. The houses of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff usually 'produced' the good ones and the house of Slytherin the evil ones. And all this was the consequence of one single word in one single moment - when the 11-year-old magician-to-be stood under the Sorting Hat. It was then that his or her destiny was irrevocably set. No way of going back after that, he or she had to move on on the path that had been selected, all other roads closed and forbidden under a large sign of 'What could have been... but wasn't'.  
Almost thirty years ago, during the sorting ceremony, the hat had ruled for the destinies of seven children there, possibly aware of the fact that the consequences of these choices would be for someone else to bear in the future: Sirius Black - Gryffindor! Lily Evans - Gryffindor! Remus Lupin - Gryffindor! Lucius Malfoy - Slytherin! Peter Pettigrew - Gryffindor! James Potter - Gryffindor! Severus Snape - Slytherin! And continued to choose paths twenty-five years later: Draco Malfoy - Slytherin! Harry Potter - Gryffindor!  
Everything revolved around Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, and so revolving, threatened to tighten more and more, suffocating him...  
  
End Prologue  
  
  
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	2. Chapter 1

Author's notes: first chapter. Hope you like!  
Disclaimer: The characters and world of Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling. The idea is Severitus' and whatever remains is, I suppose, mine.  
  
  
  
Changes-Chapter 1  
  
In one of the boy's dormitories down in the dungeons where the Slytherin resided, Draco Malfoy was pondering over the issue of going to sleep. The other boys were already fast asleep, but the date kept Draco awake. It was the 13th.  
Ever since he had started Divination, which to his great dismay was taught by Sybill Trelawney, he had noticed that, in the teacher's own words, 'had a knack' for it. As a greater surprise came the fact that ever since his 13th birthday (which happened to be on 13th November) he had 'dreams' every month, on the 13th. Sometimes about his family, sometimes of persons he didn't even know, sometimes of things that would happen tomorrow, sometimes of things that were years way. Draco hadn't told anyone about them, at first because he thought it was a spell used by Potter&co and feared being ridiculed, and after that... because the so-called dreams had come true.  
Draco looked warily at his bed, then shrugged and climbed in to sleep. After all, he was a Slytherin, and a Malfoy, he wasn't scared or even impressed by foreshadowing the future...Right?  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
His eyes slowly opened to the static picture of Dumbledore's office, just as he knew it. The phoenix Fawkes was also watching the scene with its head tilted on one side. He easily recognized the two people there: the Headmaster, sitting at his desk, with a paper of some sort in his hands and Professor Snape, standing tall before him.  
For a second, the image was frozen, for him to be able to take it all in, then the characters resumed their activities. Dumbledore put the paper on his desk and took off his glasses, looking expectantly at the man before him; Snape sneered, staring straight into the Headmaster's eyes. "That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my life."  
"Severus, I know this comes as a shock to you, but I'm afraid the evidence is indisputable. You'll need time to absorb all this, but there is no doubt about-"  
"Albus." Snape's black eyes had even blacker lightnings in them. "Harry Potter is not my son."  
The scene froze again before his shocked eyes and in the next moment he stood up in his bed, breathing irregularly, looking in front of him at something no one could see.  
"It couldn't be...," he whispered in amazement, knowing perfectly well that is was, indeed, possible.  
  
End Chapter 1  
  
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	3. Chapter 2

Author's notes: Well, I managed to read the forth book (yay me!) and figured that since I'll have to wait a long time for the next one, I should turn to fanfiction. So here I am, with a new chapter! Thanks to the people who reviewed-Gablock the Hated, sam and Jess Scefing-, I really appreciate it.  
IMPORTANT! Timeline note: The action in this fic begins during the summer before the forth year and will be written down chronologically. Draco's dream from last chapter takes place during the school year, so it'll be resumed a few chapters later.  
Disclaimer: The characters and world of Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling. The idea is Severitus' and whatever remains is, I suppose, mine.  
  
  
  
Changes-Chapter 2  
  
[31st July]  
Unlike the year before, Harry knew exactly the moment he turned 14, for more than one reason. First, he was watching the clock when its minute hand moved; secondly, two owls flew in through the window, each with a package; and last, but not least, an unknown force knocked the wind out of him.  
Dizzily, Harry glanced around him to determine the cause, but he found nothing. The now-14-year-old boy took a moment to regain his normal breathing, then checked for any sign of injury; again, he found nothing. His scar didn't hurt, either, so Harry concluded that it had something to do with his turning 14 - maybe it was normal for a wizard, who knows?  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
During the next month, Harry grew more and more restless at the thought of returning to Hogwarts, wishing the time would pass faster. The Dursleys had ignored him the whole summer, other than giving him chores, and the boy suspected it was because of the enthusiastic portrait of Sirius Black he had made. Harry had also managed to finish his homework, something that had given him a lot of trouble, because he'd had to do it at night, under the cover of his bed.  
The only thing that worried him was the strange feelings that he experienced every now and then. He couldn't make heads or tails out of it - they started with a terrible headache, then his hurt or some other part of his body started throbbing with pain and just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore - poof! it was gone.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Finally, the first of September arrived and by eleven in the morning, Harry found himself with his two best friends, seated in a carriage of the Hogwarts Express.  
"You've both changed over the summer!" he exclaimed.  
"And so have you," replied Ron grinning.  
They all looked slightly older, and both Ron and Harry were taller than before. Ron's face was still childlike, but Harry's had become just a bit longer and more accented. The two were pulled out of their mutual contemplation by Hermione's question "I wonder who's going to be our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year, because--"  
"Yeah, so do I," Ron cut in. "Lupin was just great!"  
"I don't think any other teacher could surpass him," Harry added sadly.   
"Well, that remains to be seen. I heard that Sigfried Marsch is going to take the position and he is greatly appreciated for his previous work."  
"Sigfried Marsch? The guy who defeated the two-headed hydra in the swamps of Ireland?"  
At Hermione's nod, the redhead continued: "But he's supposed to be tougher than...than Snape!"  
"Nonsense! He just calls for all of his students' attention. Besides, how could one learn if one wasn't attentive?"  
Ron resigned himself to sighing and shaking his head. Nothing could change his avid-learning friend, he was sure of it.  
"So how did he defeat that hydra?" Harry asked to distract them and his fire-haired friend immediately brightened up, starting to tell the story.  
The story led to another, and another, while the Hogwarts Express was making its way to its destination, bringing Harry and his friends to a new year of all Hogwarts and destiny had to offer.  
  
End Chapter 2  
  
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	4. Chapter 3

Author's notes: Sorry it took me so long to post this! I'll try to do better next time. Now this chapter doesn't have much action, but in next one things will happen, and we'll have Draco as well (angsting...)!  
About Harry's Gryffindor year mates: I don't think there are other except Ron, 'Mione, Seamus, Dean, Neville and Parvati. Am I right or wrong?  
Disclaimer: The characters and world of Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling. The idea is Severitus' and whatever remains is, I suppose, mine.  
  
  
Changes-Chapter 3  
  
"Humph! Transfiguration, Divination, Defense against the Dark Arts and Potions," said Ron, analyzing his timetable over a plate filled with breakfast. "Could have been a lot better, if you ask me."  
"It also could have been a lot worse, you know," Hermione pointed out from across the table.  
"She's right there, Ron! Imagine Potions, History of Magic, Divination and more of Hagrid's hybrids from last year!" added the one member of the Gryffindor trio that hadn't said anything that far.  
"Urgh!" Ron made a face at the mere mention of the creatures and continued. "Don't say that, I'm losing my appetite! What now?" he asked when his two friends started laughing at his predictable reaction.  
It felt good to be back, Harry decided through his gales of laughter.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
After Divination and Arithmancy respectively, the trio reunited and went to Defense against the Dark Arts together. The moment the bell rang, the new teacher came through the door, attracting all of his students' gazes. He didn't look like Quirell (to everyone's relief), nor like Lockhart (to some of the female students' chagrin), nor like Lupin (to the trio's regret). He was a rather tall, strong man, not-quite-fat and not-quite-slim, with bushy eyebrows and icy light-blue eyes that instead of regarding a person pierced him or her.  
"Now then," he thundered, "this is *my* Defense against the Dark Arts class, so you will be silent and carve every word I say on your brain, or else..."   
The forth-years were all struck silent and neither of them dared open his or her mouth, let alone move.  
Siegfried Marsch launched into the lesson without any other introduction.  
"Today I'll tell you about the Etmod. It's one of the few magical animals that can kill a person using magic. Basically, it's a large green and yellow lizard-type animal with two horns you should avoid ("The horns or the lizard," whispered Ron to Harry) unless you have the power and the experience necessary to fight it, like me. ("Uh, another Lockhart," Harry whispered in his turn) Now, write!"  
The forth-year Gryffindors scrambled for their quills and parchments and hurriedly took down the details their professor gave. When the bell rang, Marsch curtly told them to be near the Forbidden Forest next time, to study a live specimen and dismissed them.  
"Hey, this lesson wasn't so bad. I think I liked it!" Ron said, having turned cheerful as soon as they had emerged without homework.  
"I'm not sure," frowned Hermione. "It wasn't really that an interesting class..."  
"Eh, who are you trying to fool? You're just cross that Marsch didn't give you a chance to tell about the Etmod yourself, aren't you?"  
"Humph!" said Hermione, turning her head to one side in a fast, fluid motion.  
"C'mon, admit it! Admit it!" chanted the red-haired teen, teasing his friend.  
Harry kept himself out of it, all-too-used to Ron and 'Mione's apparent squabbles. Out of nowhere, one of those strange pains grasped him, the boy having to bit his lip to keep himself from crying out. As soon as the pain came, it went away, leaving him panting, worried and some way behind his friends.  
"Hey, Harry! What'cha doing back there?" yelled Ron.  
"I'm coming!" "Sorry about that," he added when he caught up with them. Other than that, nothing was said and they all let it pass.  
The next class was Potions and, as usual, it was with the Slytherins. Nothing out of the ordinary happened to any of the people involved, but just as usual, everyone was glad to see it done and over with.  
"Well, Snape was his ordinary charming self today," Harry commented as they left.  
"And that git, Malfoy, behaved as bratishly as ever," said Ron.  
"That word doesn't-"  
"I know, Herm," and "He knows, Herm," left the mouths of the two boys at the same time, making them all laugh. The discussion then shifted to Defense against the Dark Arts - the new teacher and live Etmod. The next class happened to be exactly the next day, and it came as if flying at the unsuspecting students.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The forth-year Gryffindors were all where their professor had instructed them to be. He came only moments after the bell, wearing an almost smug smile.  
"Class - observe!"  
Without any other words, he took out a dead chicken and threw it into the forest, near its edge. Not five minutes later, the Etmod emerged and gobbled up the dead animal. It was large for a lizard, but it wasn't taller than Marsch and couldn't have been even if it were able to stand on two feet. However, it was quite devious, despite its not looking very intelligent. At that particular moment, however, its hunger was clouding its mind.  
Marsch strolled towards it, looking very confident and stopped right in front of the creature. Having finished its snack, it hissed at him warningly, fully expecting the wizard to get the hint; the man, however, stood firm and, reaching out, slapped the monster across its face.  
The students and the Etmod acted as one, drawing in a sharp breath; the first ones forgot to breathe and the latter forgot to think, as it rushed head-long into Marsch. The wizard quickly and efficiently avoided it by stepping to the side. The creature turned with blood-shot eyes, a clear sign of the rage it was in and tried to crush him, with the same lack of success as before. The Etmod's eyes narrowed as they caught sight of the wizard again. It lowered its head, its horns started glowing and for the first time the people there could hear its voice, as it hissed a short spell that directed a yellowish-green beam of light at its attacker. Drawing his wand in a fraction of a second, the teacher yelled out the counter-spell, completely pulverizing the Etmod's magic. The creature hissed again, then turned tail and ran off into the forest.  
Harry was speechless. The man was incredibly foolhardy, he didn't know what was good for him! Apparently, Hermione thought the same thing, for she said nothing and kept her lips pursed together. Ron, on the other hand, was enthusiastically clapping and cheering, like Seamus and Dean; Neville stared in mild disbelief; and Lavander and Parvati were going 'Oh, Professor, that was *so* brave!...'.  
  
End Chapter 3  
  
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	5. Chapter 4

Author's note: Finally I managed to write this out in an acceptable (for me) form. Draco angst, like I said. More Draco angst next chapter.   
Someone wanted to know if Parseltounge counted for an Etmod: A very interesting question, but no, it doesn't count, since I don't think Parseltounge works on lizards too, and besides this creature isn't even an actual lizard.  
Disclaimer: The characters and world of Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling. The idea is Severitus' and whatever remains is, I suppose, mine.  
  
  
Changes-Chapter 4  
  
A Defense against the Dark Arts class was identical for all four houses; and so the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin forth-years were greeted, adressed and dismissed in the same way. The uniformity was indeed so great that it reached the students as well. At first, they were surprised by the sudden manner the teacher had; then the excitement dimmed through the class, but only to rise again at the end, when they were told that the next class was to be held near the Forbidden Forest and that it could consist of a real confrontation with an Etmod; at this point, all pupils were bursting with curiosity and/or anticipation.   
It went so for each and every student... except one. Who instead of being excited, felt terror seep into his very bones.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Draco Malfoy made his way to his dormitory, head held high and a look of superiority on his face. Those who saw him immediatly drew the conclusion that Malfoy was just being his born usual obnoxious self; they had no way of knowing it was a part of the way he had been brought up, a screen behind which he could hide his true thoughts. By this point in time, it had almost become part and parcel of him... impossible to escape and far too useful to even want such a thing.  
Once safe behind the dark green curtains of his poster bed, Draco let a part of his mask drop, fear now showing on his pale face and allowed a forgotten memory to rise from the back of his mind.  
  
~FLASHBACK~  
Draco was dreaming. Or rather, Draco was 'dreaming'.   
It looked like a Care of Magical Creatures class under a warm sun. He saw himself and his colleagues, all slightly older-looking, standing to a side, while a solid man was facing a small dinosaur. 'It's probably going to be just another boring preview of a stupid class. At least if I got to see the exam subjects, this wouldn't be such a waste,' Draco thought. By now, the man was fighting the dinosaur, without causing him any impression. That was what a teacher did anyway. The only feeling he had was one of smugness for having a new professor instead of that stupid half-giant Hagrid. Boredly Draco watched the solid man avoid a ray of magic from the dinosaur and turn back to the class. The Slytherins were cleary impressed, he noted. The man walked towards his students, probably intent on explaining the lesson. He didn't see the other beam of magic the creature shot at his person and didn't even have time to open his mouth when it pierced him.   
~END FLASHBACK~  
  
'It *was* him,' the young Slytherin thought in shock.   
Foreshadowing someone's death had been like being thrown in freezing waters: the sudden, terrible cold, the limitation of movement, the constrictive lack of air, and the fear. Dark, overwhelming fear. And after the first terrible moment... it got worse. Drowning at least was physical and immediate, but this was in his mind, swarming like a whirlpool, a constant torment to his fragile mental health. It was too much to bear and he'd tried to deny it -every way he could- because that was the only way he could deal with it. Eventually he'd convinced himself that it had only been a nightmare and everything had been forgotten. But now, drawn by Marsch' arrival, the memories resurfaced. There was no way around it - he had seen the professor's death.   
'So? It's not my responsability!' Once that had been established, the boy took his time to secure the knowledge. 'Even if I were to try to save him, how could I possibly do that without being in danger of revealing my secret or any other kind of danger?' One of the first lessons Draco had ever learned, was that saving your skin came first; other matters of finesse such as being noble or honest when doing so took second place. 'And why exactly should I bother? If he dies, he dies, not my bussiness! I couldn't risk my safety for someone I don't even know!'  
Once that one and only choice had been reached, Draco got up, carefully re-placing his mask and left the Slytherin dormitory for lunch.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Throughout the day, it was easy to pretend nothing was going to happen... Even if your yearmates only talked about next DADA class... or if Professor Marsch' presence was undeniably felt during both lunch and dinner...  
However, the calmness Draco displayed and which, to an extent was real, coming from having made a decision, dissipated the second he climbed into bed and said 'I'm going to sleep now' to himself. Instantly his sleepiness flew out the window, together with his calm. In the dead of the night, the burden of having a man's life in his hands did weigh rather hard. 'There's nothing I can do,' Draco repeated in his mind, resolving to fall asleep at once.   
Sleep that night could have been in Antarctica, for how close he came to it.  
  
End Chapter 4  
  
  
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	6. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: One would think that with my chapters being so short, I could get them out faster...   
Disclaimer: The characters and world of Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling. The idea is Severitus' and whatever remains is, I suppose, mine.  
  
  
Changes-Chapter 5  
  
After a sleepless night, the next day seemed even less attractive. Well hidden behind the mask everyone presumed to be the real Draco Malfoy, a 13-year-old boy who had eventually reached the conclusion that he ought to save his Dark Arts professor - despite the fact that he had never even spoken to the man - was faced with the difficulty to apply that decision while faced with group pressure. Life realities were screaming at him from every corner 'You are a Malfoy!' 'You mustn't care!' 'People don't expect you to save him!' Not that Draco actually chose to do what people expected - it was just that most of the time their expectations and his intentions coincided. Yet now, that they didn't, he was having quite a hard time with it.  
With these thoughts in mind Draco gracefully sat down to pretend to eat breakfast. Just like yesterday, Marsch was standing out from the other teachers by unconsciously making his presence felt, and not necessarily in a pleasent way. At that point the Slytherin boy felt his eyebrow raise itself as he had a revelation of sorts: this man was the only teacher besides Snape who was remotely acceptable from the Slytherin point of view... in other words he had a reason (or maybe excuse) to save him. Draco forgot about pretending to have breakfast and took a bite from a piece of toast.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Across the hall, at the Gryffindor table, Harry Potter was also biting from his toast, preparing himself for Transfiguration. The week wasn't even finished, but lessons to be learnt and homework to be done abounded. The 14-year-old had heard (inadvertently and because of Hermione interrogating older students) that, oddly enough, it were the 4th and 6th years that qualified as the most difficult ones there at Hogwarts. But as long as school was the only thing demanding his attention, he was most certainly not complaining.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
First class was in fact Defense, and Draco timed his exit so that he could 'accidentally' walk with the blasted professor who was causing him so much trouble.  
"Good morning, Professor," greeted the boy.  
"Morning."   
"So you'll be showing us an Etmod, right, sir?"  
"Yes." came the gruff reply, accompanied by a glare.  
'Blast the man! I'm trying to save his life and he's acting like a *****!'  
"I'm certain it will be a very interesting lesson, but won't you be in danger, sir?" Draco tried to smooth-talk him, but it seemed Marsch permanently had a black cloud above his head.  
"Really, Mr.--"  
"Malfoy, sir, Draco Malfoy," he quickly answered.  
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, there is a reason why I am the teacher here-because I am fully qualified to deal with pesky little monsters-like a yellow lizard or a yellow student! Go to your classmates and pay attention to the lesson, boy!"  
With these words Marsch stiffly strode off.  
Draco was too shocked to speak and walked away as well full of indignation. Right then, he was far too angry to care if the man did die ('How dare he insult me', he thought) and so he barely paid attention to class, focusing on his own thoughts and only catching a few glimpses of what was happening during class ... like the professor throwing the dead animal as bait... the Etmod rushing out of the forest... the quick slap from Marsch... the infuriated creature's attack... rays of magic, all countered by the professor... the animal walking defeated back to the forest... the clapping of the students ... Marsch bowing his head towards them as he walked closer... and the sudden, final burst of magic from the Etmod piercing the man who had challenged it one too many times.  
Siegfried Marsch fell facing the last students he had a chance to teach, his eyes locking with Draco's for a fraction of a second. Shock and impossibility to understand in the eyes of the man death was claiming, less shock, but a similar impossibility to understand in the eyes who had seen this death before.  
  
End Chapter 5 


End file.
